Fwd: Newsletter 3: Life in Meru

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kathy Macdonald <kmac@macdgroup.com>

Subject: Newsletter 3: Life in Meru

Date: February 15, 2015 at 11:10:27 PM EST

To: Gary McClusky <gary.mcclusky@gmail.com>

Jambo! 

Got up bright and early Sunday morning and headed to the Mwanika church.  We were asked to introduce ourselves and were asked if we would like to sing for the congregation …we spared them and stuck to introductions. Our photo today features Dixie who everyone in Kenya knows (or it seems like it), Marilyn from Thiiri Centre where we are staying and a member of the Mwanika church.

After church we had a good final debrief with Dan Clauw from FUMC before he departed after a week in Meru. He and his brother, Marty, are on their way  back to Michigan.  From what we hear, it will a real shock to their systems.  

We spent much of the afternoon emptying the tubs we brought along and organized ourselves for tomorrow. We met again after dinner and laid out the week of work before us. (See photo below) An impressive Kenyan thunder storm rolled through during our session … rained hard enough for water to flow in under the door of the room we were meeting in. This means means we will need to be ready for mud tomorrow.

Picked up a few final supplies at the local Nakumat in the late afternoon. (Think Target, Walmart, Meijer and Kmart rolled into one.)  We discovered security in Kenya is even tighter than we were warned.  You are personally scanned entering any store (think airport scanning) and only essentials are allowed in on your person or in your bag.  Our team did discover that the clearance table for Valentine's items was huge. They all claimed they did not buy cards or chocolates to keep for next year.  

  

We added to our list of Kenyan business names.  Our favorites for today were: Hand of God Computer Solutions and God's Favorite Butchery.  Not sure if either will be coming to a strip mall near you soon.

We begin early tomorrow morning at BLISS Secondary School where we will be officially introduced to the student body which is now OVER 500.  We then divide with some of staying on to work at BLISS and others heading off to meet the new Head Teacher at Gichunge Primary.  Wish us well and stay tuned.

Kathy, Dixie, Julie, Debbie, Marcos, Greg and John 

Kathleen Macdonald
kmac@macdgroup.com

The Macdonald Group
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